A recent survey conducted by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Cruise Critic showed that more than 60 percent of respondents say they sometimes or always cruise as an extended family with grandparents and/or grandchildren. River cruising, however, has generally been regarded as a product for adults.
That may soon change, now that Uniworld River Cruises has developed multigenerational, family-friendly river cruises specifically to appeal to grandparents, parents and children alike.
“With such a huge demand for new opportunities for multigenerational travel, it was a natural evolution for us to offer river cruising programs geared towards families,” said Guy Young, president of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Collection. “Our family-friendly programs have been developed around summer vacations in July and August, so planning a vacation is always easy.”
The all-inclusive aspect of a Uniworld cruise is expected to have a strong appeal in this market, and the company is offering special family pricing for passengers between ages 8 and 18. The company also offers a package that includes all meals with soft drinks, entertainment, lectures and demonstrations onboard, as well as shore excursions that are fully hosted by local guides.
“It is important to note that Uniworld’s itineraries are different from ocean cruises in that the goal of our programs is to give young travelers an understanding of European culture, art, music and history in an engaging way,” Young added.
Uniworld’s family-friendly itineraries include a nine-day Castles Along the Rhine River Cruise sailing the Rhine River between Amsterdam and Basel where fairytale castles, Old-World towns with quaint buildings, museums and legendary myths are expected to appeal to the entire family.
Special highlights include a mini-train ride to Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum, home to one of the largest collections of self-playing musical instruments in the world; and the Speyer Technical Museum, with a walk-in Boeing 747, the largest propeller aircraft in the world, as well as a U9 German Navy submarine, fire engines, locomotives, aircrafts and helicopters.
Cruise-only prices for adults start at $2,399 per person, based on double occupancy, for July and August departures. Children ages 8-18 travel at half price when accompanied by a paying adult.
A nine-day Paris and Normandy River Cruise will sail along the Seine from Paris, past the countryside of Northern France, to the nostalgic beaches of Normandy and then back to Paris. The program includes family-friendly guided tours of Paris, Honfleur, Rouen and Giverny, with special highlights that include the Joan de Arc Museum in Rouen, the Naturospace Museum in Honfleur and a hike to the Stronghold of Richard the Lionheart at Chateau Gaillard. Pricing for this cruise begins at $2,599 per person, based on double occupancy.
To encourage more bookings among single travelers, Uniworld is also waiving the single supplement on a variety of its 2009 Europe river cruises for clients who book on or before Jan. 31. Clients can also save up to an additional $1,000 with Uniworld’s Pay-in-Full Savings and Early Booking Discounts.
Uniworld River Cruises
www.uniworld.com
